In the heart of Guinea-Bissau lies the Bijagós archipelago, a stunning “mini-Galápagos” where rare saltwater hippos and endangered turtles should thrive in peace. However, a gripping new investigation reveals that massive industrial “floating factories” have been anchored offshore, illegally vacuuming up the sardinella that local communities and wildlife depend on. These industrial foreign-owned vessels allegedly process thousands of metric tons of fish into oil and meal for global markets. The result is a growing threat to biodiversity and the livelihoods of small-scale fishers who depend on the resource. In response, Guinea-Bissau’s government has announced a sweeping ban on fishmeal production, though enforcing the rule across its vast waters remains a major challenge.
The Guardian
